RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Hey guys....Maybe someone in China will read all this and come out with more good ignitions. I Hope!!!! Capt,n:D

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Yep......for the same price everyone else sell this cdi's all over the world.
They have also pay customs, tax and wounht also some money for themself.

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

RadioShack does not have the optoisolator in store. Cost .15cents through their site but order s/h is at $7!!! ***unk..lol
So I went back to Fry's and I saw this Optoisolator. It is an NTE3040 and cost $1.49. After checking the datasheet, it will work with this circuit. So yay!!!
Now im down to get the programming to work. No more worries about missing parts.

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

By the way, BIGBOAT... I already made the ignition coil following the direction on your website. I still dont know which wire to solder to what (Positive*Red& Negative*Black). Some help ?

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Programming still not working.
I attached a pic with my questions.

By the way, anyone notice the spark from one of those click-lighter ? U make a click and a nice spark comes out. I wonder if anyone opened one up and see what's inside ?

http://a337.ac-images.myspacecdn.com...b90992b050.jpg

http://a596.ac-images.myspacecdn.com...187e0f7b2b.jpg


Also after building your Power circuit, I realized that it is very similar to the board for a Fluorescent light from a scanner. Perhaps I could just substitute the whole unit and see if it works ?
I will do it and let u know.

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

C's are both 100nF (nanoFarath)
The yellow *things* are jumpers.
If you leave them, it's a normal CDI
If you remove one of them, the CDI will given 2 kinds of test sparks, slow or fast.
BTW, I get the idea you don't know anything about schematics or electronics.......?
I don't think it's a good idea to start with this complex electronics like a programable CDI.
If you don't know wat youre doing, it's a very dangerous project with very high voltages.
Please ask someone who knows about electronics and high voltage !!

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

I do know a little from highschool electronic courses. Its been awhile and i'm starting to resume this hobby. The terms are coming back to me. Just some experiments and Ill be okay. :)

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

okay from the schematic i thought they were 100uf ceramic capacitors... I looked @ Digikey and they dont sell them unless in the 3k unit range.

Where can I get these from ? I guess what im asking is which electronic equipments might have these on their board ie: computer modems, motherboards, radios... ?

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Took a new pic of all the boards i've made for this project. Opened up to view the pics and I ran into one of the pic of me and my ex g/f from last year.... i felt like :( now.

But anywho, the pic shows
LEFT: Pic timer board+Power board - still missing the 100Nfarad capacitors
MIDDLE: 2 pic programmer boards...none able to program
RIGHT: 12vlt Fluorescent board from a scanner - it works and shows 200+volts
http://a738.ac-images.myspacecdn.com...da61a0d5e9.jpg

I still can't get the programming on the PIC chip. This is the error I get when I try to program:

"Programming...
Erasing ("bulk" or "chip") ...
Programming CODE, 0x000000..0x00024F
Verify Error: 000000: read 0012B5, wanted 00298B
Verify Error: 000001: read 00153A, wanted 003FFF
Verify Error: 000002: read 000A5A, wanted 003FFF
Verify Error: 000003: read 00292B, wanted 003FFF
Verify Error: 000004: read 002A5A, wanted 0030EE
Verify Error: 000005: read 001A52, wanted 001303
Verify Error: 000006: read 00294B, wanted 001283
Verify Error: 000007: read 002969, wanted 000586
Verify Error: 000008: read 002B4A, wanted 003012
Verify Error: 000009: read 000A5A, wanted 0000FA
Verify Error: 00000A: read 001AB6, wanted 000BFA
Verify Error: 00000B: read 001BB0, wanted 00280A
Verify Error: 00000C: read 001A52, wanted 000000
Verify Error: 00000D: read 002A4A, wanted 003011
Verify Error: 00000E: read 001696, wanted 000486
Verify Error: 00000F: read 002A5A, wanted 003004
Verify Error: 000010: read 0035A5, wanted 000506
Programming aborted after 17 errors.
Programming CONFIG, 0x002000..0x002007
Verify Error: 002007: read 000AD2, wanted 003F58
ERROR: Programming FAILED !"

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

By the way, where I can buy/get the Nano Farad capacitors and is it that utmost necessary ?

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Alright, this post will be helpful for those who want a Parallel 25pins PIC Programmer. I found the info on this site: http://www.coolcircuit.com/project/picprog/

Serial programming is obsolete these days.

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

better yet, the simplest high voltage programmer from Printer port

http://www.finitesite.com/d3jsys/proghvpv2.gif taken from http://www.finitesite.com/d3jsys/proghvp.html

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Good morning.

Regarding, "Serial programming is obsolete these days," you may want to check out this site: http://www.electro-tech-online.com/
People who are very knowledgeable about programmers contribute to that site. You might be able to get some help there with the programming issues. I am assuming you plan to use the 16F628, not the 16F628A, is that correct?

With respect to the "100 nanofarad capacitors," you should note that 100 nanofarad (100X10E-9) is the same as 0.1 microfarad (0.1X10E-6). You have indicated that you already have that size. That is a very common size and most catalogs will list them as such (i.e., use the microfarad unit). My previous comments about 100 microfarad capacitors were based only on your question. I didn't bother to check the schematic to see if or where they were used.

And last, I share some of Bigboat's concern. Personally, I applaud your desire to DIY, learn, and challenge yourself. That's what this hobby/sport is all about. It is far too easy just to go out and buy a finished product (probably made in China), use it, and when it breaks, buy another. I prefer the path you are taking, so let me give some advice that is not meant to criticize, but is meant to help you get to a finished product. Each substitution or change you make increases the complexity and the risk of failure. Two changes probably increase those risks 4 times as much as a single change and so forth. Sit back and look at the changes/substitutions you have made. Come up with a logical sequence for construction and testing. Eliminate steps that are particularly problematic and not on the main path of the project.

Specifically, I would get the spark side of the project completed and working (I described some steps for that earlier). Then I would turn to the controller board. Build it, test your voltages, etc. I would strongly recommend that you go to a local source (school, fellow hobbyist, even ask on the site I just gave) for help with programming the PIC. Programming the chip can be a project by itself. You have enough on the table right now. You should not want to use an untested DIY programmer, an untested DIY program, and other "quick and simple" methods that are taken from the internet, if you have never done it before. The individuals who develop and publish those things may be real experts or uninformed hobbyists. The experts may leave things out that they assume you would already know about, such as config files, linker files, erasing, fuse settings, etc. The hobbyists may not know to begin with and may simply have ripped plans from somewhere else.

Good luck. John

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

1e - check your programmer.
2e - read the hole topic of this opensourse project
3e - read the topic http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3422690/tm.htm
4e - ask someone with knowledge of electronics to help you.
5e - buy some good electronic (starter) books

If you have read this and the other topic you know there are a lot of problems be solved befor this cdi was working.
You can't build a high performnce divice from scrap, it will never works.

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Sorry for my bombardments in post this past weekend. I must've been under stress!
All the questions I asked, I already knew and now im seeing things clearer again.

Tomorrow I just gotta get some ceramic capacitors .1uf and a set of 150ohms and 680ohms resistors and i'm good to go. I read all the post on this and the other one. Its all in my head, but nothing came out this past weekend. I believe its called "Brain Fart" syndrom, lol.

Thanks for all the applause and cricitism and help from you guys. Imma go solo on the troubleshooting from now on and gonna post the results.

;)

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Hi,

First Q: This CDI was designet for resistor plug ?
Can a resistor plug or resistor cap or resistor plug cable, reduce spark intensity ?

Second Q: who can help me about cdi "inverted" program: for low rpm (until 1500-2000rpm) spark with 0 delay and after 2000rpm spark wil advance to 24,28 or 32 deg.
This like on mechanical coupled ignition, or Falkon ignitions. Sensor /magnet will be mechanicaly positioned at 2-4 deg BTDC.


Thank,
Dino

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

I have been following somewhat on this "opensource CDI" thread. What I would like to know have any of you come up with a good CDI ignition that has a set timing and will run on about 4.8 volts. I plan to use it for RC airplanes. I do not need a programable unit for the timing. The way I plan to change timing is through linkage from carb to pick-up sensor. It will give a super smooth transition that way. All I need is the most reliabe ignition system you guys have built with opensource parts. Tanks Very Much Capt,n[:-]

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Hi Captinjohn,

I am mostly a glider pilot and got interested in the CDI for my tug, and with a little experience in electornics, this project was an opportunity to have some fun combining those interests. Also, our field is still too mushy to get any real flying in. This project may get put on hold in a week or two :D

Your comments are very helpful, and it would be nice to get the benefit of your greater experience with gassers. My experience is very limited: a G62 converted by Ralph.

From an electronic standpoint, it is relatively simple to make something that works on the bench and meets the needs you outline. The Chinese design used by Ralph (RCExel?), other published designs, and the design in this thread are all pretty similar to a point. One difference is the use of NPN versus PNP transistors, which I consider relatively unimportant. Getting rid of the electronic advance would also be simple -- you can either get rid of the chip physically or program it for no advance. My major concern is reliability, which cannot be proved on the bench, but it is possible to guess where problems might be. And from that perspective, I am most worried about the small transformer on the PCB that converts the 4.8 V to roughly 300 V to power the coil that connects to the spark plug.

Do you have any experience on how ignitions fail? Do you have any failed ignitions you might be willing to loan out so I can examine them? Ralph did mention on the phonne that transformer failures were a problem, but it's not clear whether those failures were electronic (e.g., arcing), from heat, or from vibration.

Best regards. John

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Still no signs of life on any of these parts... *sigh. I might just put the experimentation aside for now.

So Jpanhalt, where can I find a non-timing CDI for a common DYI-er ? :)
Gotta have one soon so I can play with my boat.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_58...tm.htm#5804253

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Try:
http://www.ch-ignitions.com
http://www.rcignitions.com
http://www.rccdi.com

At RCIgnitions you need to talk to Ralph Cunningham, 928.635.2455 (Arizona time). The electronics in Ralph's ignition consists of two parts, a timing module and a spark module. He may have directions for using the spark module by itself, but why would you want to do that? The added cost is probably trivial. I believe his ignitions are from RCExl. At least, he has said they are Chinese imports.
John

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Thanks John.

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

Hi Rob,
can you check if in component side picture, L3 is placed instead L2 and vice versa ?

BTY any response for my questions -see post from 5/8/2007 ????

Thank,

dino

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

No and yes

Second Q: who can help me about cdi "inverted" program: for low rpm (until 1500-2000rpm) spark with 0 delay and after 2000rpm spark wil advance to 24,28 or 32 deg.
This like on mechanical coupled ignition, or Falkon ignitions. Sensor /magnet will be mechanicaly positioned at 2-4 deg BTDC.[/quote]

Normaly the ignition start with 5 degrees BTDC (easy-start) and *jumps* to 38 degrees if the engine runs and if the magnet is placed at 38 degrees BTDC.
If you placed the magnet 38-5=33 degrees BTDC, the ignition start at 0 degrees BTDC.
If you change the curve into the exelsheet like you wish, I think you have wat you whant (?)

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

You're right ! I'll change the pic tonight......THX !!

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
 

I have 0 knowledge about how the ignition circuit works...My circuit was designed by a friend who has since passed away...I was buying the boards and components and when the parts were assembled correctly the ignition worked..So well, in fact, that I had a lifetime guarantee on the igniton....The toroid coils came from a company in Phoenix and originall cost about $6.50/100 units...Worked very well for many years...The last few times I ordered coils the price went to $16.50 each...Some of the ignitions failed...Since I didn't know why and no one could figure it out, replacing ignitions under warranty was getting expensive..I quit making circuits and have been using C&H circuits...The syncro part of the ignition is a separate board and is connected in series to the other one....
I have a big box of failed ignitions, free is someone wants it....